Flying saucer kite



P 1959 E. WILSON FLYING SAUCER KITE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1957 FIG. I.

INVENTOR Ear! L. Wilson Sept. 8, 1959 E. L. WILSON FLYING SAUCER KITE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1957 FIG. IO.

FIG. 9.

INVENTOR Earl L, Wilson United 2,903,207. Patented Sept. 8, 1959 hce FLYING SAUCER KITE Earl L. Wilson, Los Angeles, Calif. Application October 2, 1957, Serial No. 687,704 Claims. (Cl. 244- 153) This invention relates to kites and more particularly to a flying saucer type of kite.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fiying saucer kite that is of light weight, easily and quickly assembled and which will ascend rapidly and easily in the wind without the necessity of running with the moving cable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flying saucer kite that will ascend and fly parallel to the ground giving a strikingly realistic flying saucer appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kite of the above type having a simple pinwheel type rotor mounted upon the top surface thereof which rotates rapidly in the wind to simulate the dome section of a flying saucer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a flying saucer kite bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a kite made in accordance with one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the kite shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the kite shown in Figure 1, with the covering removed;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of construction;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the framework of the kite shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a perspective View showing certain parts of the kite shown in Figure 8.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 7 thereof, a flying saucer kite 10 made in accordance with one form of the present invention is shown to include a framework of common base double segmental spherical configuration that is formed from a plurality of rib members. The ends of a first pair of horizontal ribs 12, 13 are secured together by means of flexible sleeves 14 so as to define a substantially circular plane hoop. A first outwardly convex arcuate rib 16 is secured to the top of the formed hoop and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the hoop by means of resilient fasteners 18, as more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. These fasteners 18 also secure the ends of a second similar vertically disposed rib 17 which extends beneath the plane of the hoop. These respective ribs form the framework disclosed in Figure 3 of the drawing. A vertical rod 21 disposed along the central longitudinal axis of the framework is secured in place upon the mid portions of the upper and lower vertical ribs .16, 17 by means of U-shaped coupling members 20, as is more clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7. An upper covering 23 having circumferentially spaced peripheral loops 24 extends over the upper vertical rib 16, the horizontal ribs 12, 13, extending through the provided loops 27 so as to produce the segmental spherical shape shown in Figure 1. A similar lower covering 26 is secured to the hoop by means of the spaced loops 27 in a similar manner. Actually, to assemble the device, the horizontal ribs 12, 13, are threaded through the alternately arranged loops 24, 27 of the upper and lower covering elements so that they are properly interlocked together, as shown. Of course, each of the upper and lower covering elements are provided with central openings 25, 28 which accommodate the vertical rod 21 that extends therethrough.

A rotor assembly 30 is rotatably mounted upon the upper end of the vertical rod 21 and is adapted to rotate during flight of the kite. A first tie string 31 is secured at one end to the hoop and at the other end to the rod 21. This tie string supports a tail stabilizer 33 that is in the form of a pouch having perforations 34 in the side Wall and being of controllable volume by means of a band or string 35. Thus, it is possible to control the amount of drag that the stabilizer 33 produces during flight. Another tie string 37 is secured at one end to a diametrically opposite side of the hoop and at the other end to the rod 21 intermediate the hoop and the adjacent end of the first tie string 31. This additional tie string 37 serves to provide a means for securing the mooring cable 38 to the kite.

In Figures 8 to 10, a modified form 40 of construction is shown wherein a single horizontal rib 42 is provided with a sleeve 44 at one end which slidably receives an opposite end thereof so as to define a substantially circular plane hoop. An upper vertically disposed rib 46 is secured at opposite ends to diametrically opposite sides of the formed hoop by means of fastening elements 49 similar to the fastening coupling members 20 hereinbefore described. A lower vertical rib 47 is secured at opposite ends to diametrically opposite sides of the formed hoop, but in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the upper rib 46, as clearly shown in Figure 9. The fabric covering 52 of the kite is secured, as hereinbefore described, to the horizontal hoop by means of loops 53. A rotor assembly 55 is also secured to the upper end of the vertically extending rod 5%) so as to rotate during flight. A first tie string 56 extends between the horizontal rib 42 and the vertical rod 50 for supporting the stabilizer 57, while an additional tie string 59 extends from a diametrically opposite side of the horizontal rib 42 for fastening the mooring line 60 thereto.

In flight, the kite will ascend in a substantially horizontal position so that it truly presents a simulated flying saucer appearance. If desired, the tail stabilizer may be constructed of a sky blue colored material so as to be invisible from the ground or, on the other hand, may be brightly colored so as to give the appearance of an associated unidentified flying object which remains in proximity with the flying saucer. Thus, various efiects can be obtained which is both amusing and educational.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flying saucer kite comprising, in combination, a framework of common base double segmental spherical configuration, a flexible covering substantially enclosing said framework, a rod concentric with said framework integral with and depending therefrom, first tie means associated with said framework supporting a tail stabilizer, additional tie means associated with said framework supporting a mooring cable, said first tie means comprising a flexible cable secured at one end to the periphery of said framework and at the opposite end to said rod adjacent. to the free end thereof and spaced outwardly from said framework, said additional tie means comprising a flexible cable secured at one end to the periphery of said framework at a point diametrically opposite to the point of attachment of said first tie means and at the opposite end tosaid rod at a point spaced further outwardly from said framework than said first tie means.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said framework comprises a pair of semi-circular ribs secured together at each end to define a substantially plane circular hoop, and a pair of outwardly convex arcuate ribs secured one to each side of said hoop.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said rod is connected to both of said arcuate ribs.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said framework comprises a first rib having the longitudinal ends connected together to define a substantially plane circular hoop, a first outwardly convex rib secured at each end to diametrically opposite sides of said hoop, and another outwardly convex rib secured a each end to diametrically opposite sides of said hoop in angularly spaced relationship to said first rib.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said rod is connected to both of said convex ribs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,632,614 Bodell Mar. 24, 1953 2,788,945 Bedford Apr. 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 820,412 Germany Nov. 8, 1951 

